Clinical Services

Primary Care

Behavioral Health

BMC offers behavioral health services for people considering gender transition designed to assist in evaluating the choices available and to better cope with the psychological difficulties inherent in such a serious decision. Psychological counseling during hormone treatment is usually supportive in nature and is intended to assist the individual in overcoming societal, family or personal issues inherent in this process. For individuals who do not identify as either male or female, psychological services provide a safe and non-judgmental environment to explore one’s identity and gender related issues.

Endocrinology

Boston Medical Center is a leader in hormone treatment for transgender individuals and serves as a referral center for transgender hormone therapy for all adults. Transgender men and transgender women can be referred by their primary care providers. Available endocrine services include initial consultations, active monitoring/prescribing/management of hormone regimens, guidance with complex medical concerns, and second opinions about hormone treatment strategies.

BMC provides care and guidance for individuals whose primary care providers are more knowledgeable about transgender care as well as for individuals with less knowledgeable primary care providers. We can support patients and their providers with education as required to enable patients to maintain relationships with providers convenient to them.

Surgery

Boston Medical Center provides a number of different surgical options to transgender patients.

For Transwomen

Facial Feminization Surgery
Facial feminization surgery (FFS) involves a group of surgical procedures that alter the face to increase its femininity. During facial feminization surgery, masculine markers are removed from the face in order to feminize and beautify the face.

Genital Surgery
Male to female genital reconstruction surgery includes an orchiectomy (removal of the testicles) and the surgical construction of a vagina (neovaginoplasty).

Getting to Surgery
The patient’s medical and mental health history along with appropriate diagnostic results will be reviewed by our transgender surgery panel to determine whether the patient is an appropriate surgical candidate. The panel membership currently includes physician representatives from the following areas: endocrinology, surgery and primary care, along with a licensed psychologist. The criteria for eligibility include the following:

The patient is at least 18 years of age.

The patient is transgender and has the desire to live and be accepted as a member of a sex other than natal sex, accompanied by the desire to make the physical body more congruent with the gender identity through surgery and hormone treatment.

The gender identity has been expressed for at least 12 months and is not a symptom of a mental disorder.

For those patients without a medical or mental health contraindication, they must have lived at least 12 months in their new gender role.

Additionally, each patient’s medical and mental health history will be reviewed by BMC’s transgender surgery panel to determine if the patient is an appropriate surgical candidate.